Rods

O. T. #337  "Rods"
August 6, 2014
Numbers 17
... And behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds. Numbers 17:8

LET IT GLOW

Rods can have many purposes-correction, support for walking, ruling over others. Guess which use it was exemplified here in this chapter.

God had vindicated the political leadership of Moses. In this chapter, He will do the same for the religious leadership of Aaron. (Falwell)

The people had seen God's power in several ways-10 spies who gave an evil report and unbelief died of a plague, a battle lost due to presumption, the earth swallowing up the three rebels, their families, and possessions, 250 of Korah's rebellious followers were killed by fire from the Lord, a plague that killed 14,700, and Aaron stood between the dead and the living and the plague stopped.

God is all powerful and no one can stand in His way. No one will stop His will from being accomplished. Reading about those things should humble us before our El Shaddah, Almighty God.
Yet, the Israelites had not learned their lesson.

God is now going to declare once and for all the authority of the Aaronic priesthood. (Wiersbe)

He instructed Moses to have each tribe bring a rod-a dead stick with their name on it-to be placed before the Ark in the Tabernacle, as well as Aaron's rod labeled. God announced that the rod that blossomed would indicate the one He had chosen for the priesthood. God would make the murmurings of the children of Israel to cease against Aaron.

The word rod used here means, in Hebrew, a branch, a tribe, a rod for chastening (correction), ruling (septre), throwing (lace), or walking (a staff, a support of life).

I wonder if those leaders expected to see the rods turn into a snake and their own eat up the others, as they heard happened to Moses' rod and Pharaoh's sorcerers back in Egypt. At any rate, it did not happen.


LET IT GROW

God showed His chosen priest by a unique event:

• The next morning, Moses went into the Tabernacle of Witness.
• Moses saw Aaron's rod had budded.
• Aaron's rod brought forth buds.
• Aaron's rod bloomed blossoms.
• Aaron's rod yielded almonds.
• Moses brought out all the rods from the presence of the LORD and showed the Israelites.
• The owners of the rods looked at the rods and each man took his own. (still dead rods) (verse 9)
• The Lord instructed Moses to place Aaron's staff in front of the Testimony, to be kept as a sign to the rebellious. 
• The Lord put an end to their grumbling and they did not die.

Clearly, Aaron was appointed God's high priest.
Apparently this act shook up those leaders. They were afraid they would die, perish, for such an act. but it did not happen.

This episode, of course, lends itself to a spiritual application of Christ's glorious resurrection! (Falwell)

Wiersbe's Expository Outlines on the Old Testament explains:

By means of the Resurrection, God has declared that Christ is His Son and the only Priest that God accepts. All other priests are rejected by God. It matters not how many people are involved, how great their names, or how sincere their work-all other priesthoods are rejected. There is One High Priest, one sacrifice, and only one open way to heave; read Hebrews 10. We have many today like Korah who presume to take over the priesthood, but they have no heavenly authority.

Zechariah 4:6 states: Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the LORD of Hosts.

Jesus is going to rule with an iron rod, septer. See Revelation 2:27, 19:15.

Are you ready, friends?

LET IT GO

Accept God's authority and those He places in authority over me.

Submit to authorities, not rebel.

Accept God's rod of correction for me.